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Man who beat, choked women on consecutive days in San Diego found guilty

Posted at 4:33 PM, May 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-01 20:09:35-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- A jury Tuesday found a man guilty of beating and raping two women on consecutive days in 2016. 

Jeremiah Ira Williams, 26, was found guilty on multiple charges Tuesday, including forcible rape and false imprisonment. 

Williams now faces 100 years to life in prison. His sentencing will be on May 30. 

A prosecutor Monday urged the jury to convict Williams, who is accused of choking and raping two women in different parts of San Diego on consecutive days in 2016.

A defense attorney argued that police infused suspicions from the second case into the initial attack and mishandled evidence.

Williams is charged with 13 counts including forcible rape, false imprisonment, sodomy and making a criminal threat.

Earlier in the trial, Williams was removed from the courtroom for being disruptive and was not present Tuesday as attorneys presented their final arguments.

Deputy District Attorney Trisha Amador told jurors that Williams followed Jane Doe #1 from a parking structure to her University City apartment on August 13.

With her keys in the door, she was knocked down, robbed at gunpoint and choked to a point where she thought she was going to die, the prosecutor said.

After being taken inside the apartment, Williams beat and raped her, Amador argued. The next day, Williams beat and raped a woman working as a prostitute after meeting her in a motel in Grantville, Amador said.

Jane Doe #2 was reportedly so terrified that she broke a window and jumped through it to get away.

Deputy Public Defender Thomas Bahr told the jury that a detective had a feeling the two sexual assaults may be connected and jumped to conclusions in an attempt to solve the first attack.

Bahr also told the jury that Jane Doe #2 lied throughout the investigation and said her story contained inconsistencies.

Bahr said Jane Doe #1 was a “true victim,” yet she couldn’t assist police in making a composite sketch of her attacker.